I must have been about fourteen then, and I put away the incident from my mind with
the easy carelessness of youth. But the words, Carl Walter spoke that day, came back to me
years later, and ever since have been of great value to me.
Carl Walter was my piano teacher. During one of my lessons he asked how much practicing I
was doing. I said three or four hours a day.
"Do you practice in long stretches, an hour at a time?"
"I try to."
"Well, don't," he exclaimed. "When you grow up, time won't come in long stretches. Practice in minutes, whenever you can find them five or ten before school, after lunch, between household tasks. Spread the practice through the day, and piano-playing will become a part of your life."
When I was teaching at Columbia, I wanted to write, but class periods, theme-reading, and committee meetings filled my days and evenings. For two years I got practically nothing down on paper, and my excuse was that I had no time. Then I remembered what Carl Walter had said. During the next week I conducted an experiment. Whenever I had five minutes unoccupied, I sat down and wrote a hundred words or so. To my astonishment, at the end of the week I had a rather large manuscript ready for revision, later on I wrote novels by the same piecemeal method. Though my teaching schedule had become heavier than ever, in every day there were idle moments which could be caught and put to use. I even took up piano--playing again, finding that the small intervals of the day provided sufficient time for both writing and piano practice.
There is an important trick in this time--using formula: you must get into your work quickly. If you have but five minutes for writing, you can't afford to waste four chewing your pencil. You must make your mental preparations beforehand, and concentrate on your task almost instantly when the time comes. Fortunately, rapid concentration is easier than most of us realize.
I admit I have never learnt how to let go easily at the end of the five or ten minutes. But life can be counted on to supply interruptions. Carl Walter has had a tremendous influence on my life. To him I owe the discovery that even very short periods of time add up to all useful hours I need, if I plunge（投入）in without delay.The meaning of “stretch” in the underlined part is the same as that in sentence “ ”.
| A．The forests in the north of the province stretch for hundreds of miles. |
| B．Bob worked as a government official for a stretch of over twenty years. |
| C．My family wasn’t wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. |
| D．During his senior year his earnings far enough to buy an old car. |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．The writer didn’t completely take the teacher’s words to heart at first. |
| B．Carl Walter has had a great influence on the writer's life since he became a student. |
| C．The writer owes great thanks to his teacher for teaching him to work in long stretches. |
| D．Rapid concentration is actually more difficult than most people imagine. |
We can infer that the writer .
| A．has new books published each year however busy his teaching is |
| B．is always tired of interruptions in life because his teaching schedule is always heavy |
| C．has formed a bad habit of chewing a pencil while writing his novels |
| D．can find sufficient time for mental preparations beforehand, so he's devoted to work instantly |
What is the best title of this passage?
| A．Concentrate on Your Work | B．A Little at a Time |
| C．How I Became a Writer | D．Good AdviceIs Most Valuable |
Chinese writer Mo Yan has won the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature, announced the Swedish Academy in Stockholm on Thursday．The win makes Mo Yan the first Chinese citizen to win the Nobel in its history．Informed of his win today, the author, who was having dinner at home, was “overjoyed and scared"．
Born in 1955 to parents who were farmers, Mo Yan－a pen name for Guan Moye，grew up in Gaomi in Shandong province in eastern China. At the age of 12, he left school to work, first in agriculture, later in a factory. In 1976 he joined the army and during this time began to study literature and writing．
He published his first book in 1981, but found literary success in 1987 with Hong Gaoliang Jiazu, which was successfully filmed in the same year, directed by a famous Chinese director Zhang Yimou. In his writing, Mo Yan draws on his youthful experiences and on settings in the province of his birth and his works show the life of Chinese people as well as the country's unique culture and folk customs. Mo Yan is known as a prolific（多产的）writer. In addition to his novels, he has published many short stories and essays on various topics. Despite his social criticism, he is seen in his homeland as one of the most famous contemporary authors. Dozens of his works have been translated into English, French, Japanese and many other languages．
The awarding ceremony will be held on December 10．The winner will win a medal, a personal diploma and a cash award of about $l million．How did Mo Yan feel when he was told about the news?
| A．Excited and proud． | B． Happy and surprised |
| C．Worried and cautious | D． Uncertain and shocked |
Mo Yan developed his ability for writing when he was ．
| A．on a farm | B．in a factory | C．in a school | D．in the army |
One of Mo Yan's characteristics of writing is that he .
| A．writes about topics he is familiar with |
| B．focuses on social problems in the country |
| C．describes his characters in a unique way |
| D．explains difficult matters in simple words |
Which of the statements is true?
| A．Mo Yan published his first book when he was 20 years old. |
| B．The movie Hong Gaoliang was made in 1987. |
| C．Mo Yan only writes novels. |
| D．Mo Yan’s works are mostly about city life. |
What's the best title for this passage?
| A．How Mo Yan Gets Nobel Prize | B．An Introduction to Nobel Prize |
| C．Mo Yan Wins Nobel Prize in Literature | D．A World Famous Writer, Mo Yan |
Thirty years ago, the Earnshaw family lived at Wuthering Heights, with two teenaged children Hindley and Catherine. Mr. Earnshaw travels to Liverpool, where he adopts a homeless Gypsy boy, naming him "Heathcliff". Hindley finds himself robbed of his father's love and care and becomes bitterly jealous of the newcomer. However, Catherine grows very attached to him. Soon, the two children spend hours on the moors (荒原) together and hate every moment apart.
Because of the conflict(冲突), Hindley is eventually sent to college. However, he marries a woman named Frances and returns three years later, after Mr. Earnshaw dies. He becomes master of Wuthering Heights, making Heathcliff their servant instead of a family member.
Months after Hindley’s return, Heathcliff and Catherine travel to Thrushcross Grange to spy on the Linton family. However, they are found and try to escape. Catherine is caught by a dog, and then brought inside the Grange to have injuries tended to while Heathcliff is sent home. Catherine eventually returns to Wuthering Heights as a changed woman, looking and acting as a lady. She laughs at HeathcIiff’s dirty appearance. When the Lintons visit the next day, Heathcliff dresses up to impress her. It fails, however, when Edgar, one of the Lintons' children, argues with him. Heathcliff is locked in the attic, where Catherine later tries to comfort him. He swears revenge(报复) on Hindley.
In the summer of the next year, Frances gives birth to a son, Hareton, but she dies before the year is out. This leads Hindley to fall into a life of drunkenness and waste. Two years pass and Catherine has become close friends with Edgar, growing more distant from Heathcliff.
One day in August, while Hindley is absent, Edgar comes to visit Catherine. Before long, they declare themselves lovers. Catherine explains to Nelly, her servant, that she does not really love Edgar but Heathcliff. Unfortunately, she could never marry Heathcliff because of his lack of status and education. She therefore plans to marry Edgar and use that position to help raise Heathcliff’s status. Unfortunately, Heathcliff has overheard the first part and runs away, disappearing without a trace. After three years, Edgar and Catherine are married.
Six months after their marriage, Heathcliff returns as a gentleman, having grown stronger and richer. Catherine is delighted to see him although Edgar is not so keen. Edgar's sister, Isabella, now eighteen, falls in love with Heathcliff. He looks down upon her but encourages the adolescent love, seeing it as a chance for revenge on Edgar. When he embraces Isabella one day at the Grange, there is an argument with Edgar, which causes Catherine to lock herself in her room and fall ill.
Heathcliff has been staying at the Heights, gambling with Hindley and teaching Hareton bad habits. Hindley is gradually losing his wealth, mortgaging （抵押) the farmhouse to Heathcliff to repay his debts.
While Catherine is ill, Heathcliff leaves with Isabella, causing Edgar to disown （与……断绝关系) his sister. The two marry and return two months later to Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff hears that Catherine is ill and arranges to visit her in secret. In the early hours of the day after their meeting, Catherine gives birth to her daughter, Cathy, and then dies. Hindley dies six months after Catherine. Heathcliff finds himself the master of Wuthering Heights and the guardian of Hareton.From the first paragraph, we can know ______ .
| A．Hindley hates the fact that his parents give all their love and care to Catherine |
| B．Mrs. Earnshaw adopts Heathcliff in Liverpool |
| C．Hindley is the oldest of all three children |
| D．Catherine likes Heathcliff so much that she enjoys staying with him for long |
After Frances dies, Hindley________.
| A．lives a disordered life | B．locks Heathcliff in the attic |
| C．argues with Heathcliff very often | D．returns to Wuthering Heights as a changed man . |
The underlined part "the first part" in Paragraph 5 most probably refers to ________ .
| A．Catherine says that Edgar has asked her to marry him and she has agreed |
| B．Catherine loves Heathcliff but can't marry him because of his lack of status and education |
| C．Catherine decides to marry Edgar, with whose help she can help raise Heathcliff’s status |
| D．Catherine and Edgar declare themselves lovers to the family |
At the end of the story________.
| A．Isabella dies after his brother disowns her |
| B．Catherine becomes the master of Wuthering Heights |
| C．Wuthering Heights falls into the hands of Heathcliff |
| D．Hindley dies and leaves Wuthering Heights to Cathy |
The art of reading fiction is largely a matter of inferring meanings. To infer means to understand facts which are not directly stated---only suggested. Inference is one of the commonest ways of knowing things: a child holds his knee and cries; this action implies his feeling; an observer infers that the child is hurt. To infer accurately in everyday life requires caution in observing; to infer skillfully in fiction requires caution in reading; both require disciplined imagination.
The short-story reader can expect to find certain basic elements in any story. For example, all stories involve a person or persons, in a particular setting, faced with a demand for a response. The response called for may be a physical action, such as defeating an adversary(对手) or escaping from a danger; or it may be a mental action, such as adjusting to others or within oneself. In either case, the short story is a description in two ways: first, it shows the motives for a given human action; second, it makes a point about the general human situation. Such descriptions, however, rather than being stated directly, usually are implied by the elements of the story.
When the reader of a story understands all the facts and their interrelationships, he is ready to infer the significance of the story as a whole---its comment on the human situation. This comment, or theme, is the seed from which the story grew. It is also the idea by which all the separate elements of the story are governed, while these in turn further shape and modify the theme. In addition to action, character, and setting, these elements include structure, mood, tone, and point of view.
Fiction reading requires an awareness of all the ways in which a story communicates. It also requires attention to detail. What the author provides is a network of points which serve as clues to his meaning. He invites the reader to develop the meaning by inference, actually to create much of the story himself and so make it part of his own experience.Accordingtotheauthor,"infer"means ________.
| A．knowingfactsbeyondthestatement |
| B．lookingformoreevidencesforthestatement |
| C．findingoutadifferentmeaningfromthestatement |
| D．addingsomefactstothestatement |
Whatisinferringinfictionbasedon?
| A．Readers’guessing. | B．Thebasicelementsofthestory. |
| C．Thesettingofthestory. | D．Theinterrelationshipsbetweenpeopleinthestory. |
Whatistheimpliedmeaningofthelastsentence?
| A．Inferringcanreallyhelpthereaderdevelopimaginationandenrichhimself. |
| B．Inferringcanhelpthereaderwriteastoryofhisown. |
| C．Thereadershouldlookforanexperiencedescribedinthestoryhereads. |
| D．Theexperiencedescribedinthestorywillleaveagreatimpactonitsreader. |
Whatisthemainideaofthispassage?
| A．Inferringisanartofwriting. | B．Inferringisaneedinfictionwriting |
| C．Inferringisthebasicskillinreadingfiction. | D．Inferringiscommoninreading. |
The long, lonely voyage of the Japanese ghost ship is over.
A US Coast Guard cutter poured cannon fire(开炮) into an abandoned Japanese ghost ship that had been floating since last year’s tsunami, sinking the ship into waters more than 305 meters deep in the Gulf of Alaska and removing the danger it created to shipping and the coastline on Thursday.
The cutter’s guns tore holes in the 164-foot Ryou-Un Maru, and then it began to take on water and lean to one side. In about four hours, the ship disappeared into the sea, said Chief Petty Officer Kip Wadlow.
The ship had no lights or communications system, and its tank was able to carry more than 7,570 liters of diesel fuel. Officials, however, didn’t know exactly how much fuel was aboard.
“It’s less risky than it would be running into shore or running into other ships,” coast guard spokesman Paul Webb said.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency studied the problem and decided it was safer to sink the ship than let the fuel evaporate and pollute the sea environment.
Ryou-Un Maru was probably among the first wave of the 1.5 million tons of garbage of refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, roofs and fishing nets heading toward North America since last March when a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck Japan.
As the coast guard was ready to fire on the ship, a Canadian fishing ship, the 19-meter Bernice C, claimed the rights to save the ghost ship in international waters.
Plans to sink it were paused so the Canadian crew could have a chance to take the stricken ship. A Canadian official with knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press that the Bernice C was unable to drag it.
Then the Canadian boat left, and once it was about 10 kilometers from the Japanese ship, the Coast Guard began to fire, first with 25 mm shells, then a few hours later with ammunition twice that size.
State officials have been working to test the danger of garbage including materials affected by a damaged nuclear power plant, to see if Alaska residents, seafood or wild animals could be affected.Which of the following is NOT the reason for sinking the Japanese ship?
| A．It had no lights or communications system. | B．It might be washed up onto the shore. |
| C．It was a danger to other passing ships. | D．The oil it carried could pollute the sea. |
The plan to fire on the Japanese ghost ship was paused because ________.
| A．the ghost ship was beyond the reach of the Coast Guard’s guns |
| B．the shells were not powerful enough to sink the ghost ship |
| C．state officials worried the ghost ship might give out radiation |
| D．a Canadian fishing boat wanted to save the ghost ship |
Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?
| A．Japanese ghost ship arriving at US | B．Tsunami garbage heading to US |
| C．Cannon fire sinking Japanese ghost ship | D．Japanese ghost ship polluting the Pacific |
Motorists over the age of 75 face compulsory tests of their eyesight and ability to drive under proposals being considered by ministers.
The biggest overhaul of motoring law in a generation could also lead to all drivers having to give assurances（保证）of their fitness to get behind the wheel every 10 years.
Other changes under consideration include issuing（发放）daylight driving licenses for motorists with night blindness, together with stricter checks on all drivers whose medical condition brought a threat to other road users.
It is understood that the proposals will be part of a review of the law governing the medical fitness of drivers that will be announced publicly by the summer.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is dealing with a rising number of motorists who are concerned that they have conditions---from failing eyesight to epilepsy---that could affect their driving.
In 2006, the DVLA dealt with 600,000 motorists whose physical ability to drive needed to be recertified（重新认证）, a 20 per cent rise on the previous year. With an ageing population, the biggest challenge is dealing with the rising number of elderly motorists. By 2021, there will be an estimated three million drivers over the age of 70 on Britain’s roads.
Drivers must renew their licenses at the age of 70 and every three years thereafter. The applicant is legally required to tell the DVLA of any conditions that could weaken their ability behind the wheel.
Ministers have ruled out a compulsory maximum age for driving but will instead rely on tightening up the checks on motorists over the age of 75. The most likely option would be tests to ensure motorists were fit to drive. They would include an eyesight test and a cognitive（认知） test that would prove a driver's ability to react to road signs, driving conditions, pedestrians and vehicles.
However, checks are likely to be tightened at all ages. The strictest controls are expected to be imposed（强制） on motorists of any age who have had a heart attack or stroke. They could have to produce a doctor's approval to resume（重新得到）driving. Anyone making a false declaration would be guilty of a criminal offence.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The new motoring law will come into effect by the summer． |
| B．Drivers over the age of 75 must renew their licenses every three years． |
| C．Doctors will decide whether one can get their driving licenses． |
| D．Drivers at all ages will be expected to provide their medical condition． |
What is the biggest challenge to the traffic safety in Britain according to the writer?
| A．Ageing population． | B．Increasing number of cars． |
| C．Increasing number of elderly motorists． | D．Driving conditions． |
The underlined word “overhaul” in Paragraph 2 means _______．
| A．change | B．consideration | C．concern | D．challenge |
What can be learned from the passage?
| A．There will be more and more aged drivers in Britain． |
| B．Anyone can get a driving license as long as he/she is in good health． |
| C．Health tends to decline as one gets old |
| D．It will be guilty to make a false declaration． |